With the release of her new single “The Giver,” Chappell Roan expands the genre and challenges the general societal consensus of what country music is and who can write it.
“Good luck finding a man who has the means to rhinestone cowgirl all night long,” Chappell Roan says in her song.
As a lesbian woman, Roan throws her cowboy hat in an arena of music that has often been dominated by heterosexual men.
Still, she has performed covers of songs that address common themes of family, rural life and patriotism, including “Ring of Fire” by Johnny Cash.
Women have been a fundamental pillar in country music, including artists like Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn and Shania Twain. However, Roan introduces a modern and unique perspective on what topics can be touched on in this genre.
“Ain’t no country boy quitter / I get the job done,” she sings.
Through the clear reference to sapphic love-making in these lines, Roan pokes fun at the societal stereotype that heterosexual men commit to sexual acts for their own pleasure and not that of the women involved.
“I ain’t got antlers on my wall,” Roan sings. “Girl, I don’t need no lifted truck.”
With these lyrics, Roan openly parodies another recurrent male stereotype of requiring material objects or achievements to compensate for other lacking areas.
Lesbian women are a historically underrepresented group in country music, as the classic fans of the genre have often pushed away or rejected the opening of this type of music to new identities or groups.
We saw a similar exclusion in 2024 when another famous female artist, Beyoncé, released her pivotal album, “Cowboy Carter.” The overall reception from her fanbase was positive, but the response from the country music community was not as kind.
Many claimed that she wasn’t country enough or tried too hard to be country, arguing that the album wasn’t critically good. However, many criticisms have a connection to the fact that Beyoncé does not have the conventional look or identity to release country music.
It cannot be ignored that Beyonce is a Black woman, and this has been a major factor in her country music career. In the modern music industry, it can be extremely difficult or even impossible for Black musicians to break through the racial barrier of white-dominated genres.
It is evident that Beyoncé has faced harsh and swift criticism for the release of her album, more so than Roan. This difference can perhaps be attributed to the country music community having exposure to other sapphic artists through the melodies of Brandi Carlile.
Carlile, an 11-time Grammy award winner, has been a staple in country music for decades and identifies as a lesbian like Roan.
However, most of Carlile’s songs do not explicitly focus on the sexual side of lesbian relationships like Roan’s new song, focusing more on the romantic side of these relationships.
Nevertheless, a new trend on TikTok has people with platforms that showcase conservative views lip-syncing and dancing to the song.
It is unclear whether this is because they genuinely appreciate the song and its meaning or listen to enjoy the tune and beat. It could also be assumed that many don’t understand the song’s women-loving-women undertones due to dismissive conservative views toward LGBTQ+ people.
Only time will tell if the country community is prepared to accept Roan’s identity and lyricism into its relatively streamlined set list of popular artists or if she will be deemed unwelcome in the genre.
Despite this fact, country music is an ever-changing genre that appears to be experiencing a fundamental shift to include more viewpoints, identities and issues in songs and albums.
However, even if the typical country music listeners don’t want to accept the new lesbian power anthem, Roan will certainly stay afloat with the consistent support of her loyal followers.
Ultimately, the audience must “take it like a taker” because Roan assures, “Baby, I’m a giver.”
